# Quality Meerschaum Pipes



## BTcigars (Jun 30, 2009)

I am looking for a good quality meerschaum pipe so that I can sample different tobaccos. I was look at this site here AND Meerschaum Pipes - In-Stock and they have some nice looking pipe in the $40 - $60 dollar range but my knowledge of pipes isn't at where it should be to know if these are good quality or not. I know at my B&M, the same looking pipes imported by CAO would go for about $120 on up and not $40.


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## IKMeerschaum (Feb 8, 2007)

BTcigars said:


> I am looking for a good quality meerschaum pipe so that I can sample different tobaccos.


If I may humbly suggest, our Regular-sized pipes fall into your price range. You'll find all of them listed here: Buy Regular Hand-Carved Meerschaum Pipes Online and Save | Tobacco Barn. Unfortunately, some of these pipes are currently out of stock as we are waiting for our next shipment from our carvers in Turkey. Feel free to shoot us a message if you have a specific shape you are looking for and we'll see if we can't accommodate your request.

If you are ever down this way (SoCal), feel free to stop by our shop. We've got propbably the best selection of meers in any retail store since we are also a wholesaler to other shops.

MJG


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Brandon,

Check out this tread before you buy a meer. There's meers and then there's meers, as they say.

http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...522-problem-meerschaum-pipes-myth-legend.html

BTW - Tobacco Barn will give you good service and good advice on meers. Also IMP Meers are well regarded.


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## IKMeerschaum (Feb 8, 2007)

indigosmoke said:


> Brandon,
> 
> BTW - Tobacco Barn will give you guy service and good advice on meers. Also IMP Meers are well regarded.


Thanks for the kind words!


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Agree with Indigosmoke. Read the thread. Except I'm not sure what "guy service" is. Sounds a bit perverted. :tease:

I've never dealt with AND but I have bought from Mike at Tobacco Barn. The pipe I bought from him is excellent, although it was considerably more expensive than what you're looking for. Still, if Mike says his lower priced pipes are good, experience would tell me to believe him.


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## Seekeroftruth (Jan 28, 2010)

Smokingpipes.com carries IMP. They are quite nice, but they are around 90 and up.


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## IKMeerschaum (Feb 8, 2007)

dmkerr said:


> I've never dealt with AND but I have bought from Mike at Tobacco Barn. The pipe I bought from him is excellent, although it was considerably more expensive than what you're looking for. Still, if Mike says his lower priced pipes are good, experience would tell me to believe him.


Aw shucks...


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> Agree with Indigosmoke. Read the thread. Except I'm not sure what "guy service" is. Sounds a bit perverted. :tease:


Well they are in California...but I digress. Of course I meant *good* service...lol


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## BTcigars (Jun 30, 2009)

Thanks for all the help everyone! Mike, I am checking out the pipes now


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## PinkFloydFan (Oct 1, 2009)

Just my 2 cents on Meers....

Make sure you do not get one with a flimsy screw in 2 mm threaded stem...
It will make your pipe whistle when you draw on it and you will never get a cleaner through easily without taking apart the pipe. The threads will loosen and your stem will be out of line with the bowl over time.


IMHO,
Make sure the stem is nice and preferably a push in style.. 

Let my bad experience on the matter, make your experience a good one brother.

Vin


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## BTcigars (Jun 30, 2009)

Hi Vin,
So you are saying to stay away from this type of joint? So I should look for a pipe with a friction joint that you would find in a briar. Thanks for the heads up!


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## PinkFloydFan (Oct 1, 2009)

BTcigars said:


> Hi Vin,
> So you are saying to stay away from this type of joint? So I should look for a pipe with a friction joint that you would find in a briar. Thanks for the heads up!


No Sir.. That one looks OK. I think you will find that style on quite a few pipes. My bro has a few meers with those and has no problems passing a cleaner through.. its still basically friction holding the 2 together.
You shouldn't need to unthread them to pass a cleaner.

Mine only had female threads on the stem and a plastic connector with male threads sticking out on the shank. No little nipple to push in between them.
I couldn't get a cleaner through without taking the pipe apart.

Just ask whoever you are getting your pipe from if a cleaner will pass easily. 

Check out the fittings on these pipes..
I think this sets a nice standard. ( Not that some other Meers are not as nice.. But... take a look at these..)

Vin


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## BTcigars (Jun 30, 2009)

Thanks again for your help, Vinny!


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## IKMeerschaum (Feb 8, 2007)

BTcigars said:


> Hi Vin,
> So you are saying to stay away from this type of joint? So I should look for a pipe with a friction joint that you would find in a briar. Thanks for the heads up!


Yes, as PFF indicated, the type of connector shown above is the standard for meerschaum pipes. I THINK (guessing since I haven't seen them) that the type of connector that PFF was referring to is the kind you'll find on many mini-pipes.

The "standard" is to have a nylon/teflon/delrin mortise (female portion) that is threaded into the shank. The tenon is threaded (and sometimes glued) into the stem. When cleaning your pipes ALWAYS hold the shank as close to the stem as possible and turn the stem clockwise while pulling back. When you reassemble the pipe, you will want to hold the parts the same and turn the stem clockwise while pressing it in towards the shank.

This ensure that you don't "unscrew" the mortise. One should rarely, if ever, need to remove the mortise from the shank. To do so will generally cause excess wear of the threads in the shank (remember meerschaum is softer than briar). It is OK to remove for deep cleaning but I personally find that I only do this maybe once year.

Hope that helps arm you with more information when you find the pipe of your dreams!

MJG


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## BTcigars (Jun 30, 2009)

Mike, you rock! Thanks again for everyone's help.


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## louistogie (Jun 21, 2007)

Great thread.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

IKMeerschaum said:


> turn the stem clockwise while pulling back. When you reassemble the pipe, you will want to hold the parts the same and turn the stem clockwise while pressing it in towards the shank.


This bears repeating!

Clockwise IN, Clockwise OUT. Goes against the normal logic of "lefty-loosy, righty-tighty". Always clockwise in this case.


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## phatmax (Mar 18, 2009)

How old would an SMS pipe be that has a threaded bit that unscrews from the shank? I got it for my brother and it does not have a "tenon" style bit.

ETA: To make it clear, there is a thread bit that comes out of the shank with sort of a machine style thread that mates with the bit.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

phatmax said:


> How old would an SMS pipe be that has a threaded bit that unscrews from the shank? I got it for my brother and it does not have a "tenon" style bit.
> 
> ETA: To make it clear, there is a thread bit that comes out of the shank with sort of a machine style thread that mates with the bit.


Older than either of mine, one of which was made in the late 1980's. They may, however, still make these on their less expensive pipes. Their website might give you some insight... www.smspipes.com. Or give them a call and ask - Samil and Beth are very helpful folks.


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## chu2 (Jun 8, 2009)

BTcigars said:


> Hi Vin,
> So you are saying to stay away from this type of joint? So I should look for a pipe with a friction joint that you would find in a briar. Thanks for the heads up!


See, this is what I thought people were describing. I have a used meer where that type of joint has worn down to the point where the connection isn't very firm at all. As I understand it, it should require at leas a little twist to take apart kind of like a briar friction joint, right? You shouldn't be able to pull it stright out too easily?

Also, I noticed that my bristly pipe cleaners don't fit through that small hole. Should they, or am I just being paranoid about something being in my stem?

Also, is it okay to unscrew the stem-end part? 
(in case you can't tell, I'm really new to pipes, and REALLY really new to meers)


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## IKMeerschaum (Feb 8, 2007)

chu2 said:


> See, this is what I thought people were describing. I have a used meer where that type of joint has worn down to the point where the connection isn't very firm at all. As I understand it, it should require at leas a little twist to take apart kind of like a briar friction joint, right? You shouldn't be able to pull it stright out too easily?
> 
> Also, I noticed that my bristly pipe cleaners don't fit through that small hole. Should they, or am I just being paranoid about something being in my stem?
> 
> ...



Is the looseness between the threads in the shank and the mortise or is the tenon loose in the mortise? The former can be repaired IF YOU ARE REALLY CAREFUL by stretching some plumbers tape around the mortise threads (to thin it out) and screw it CAREFULLY into the shank. If the latter your best bet is to buy a replacement mortise and tenon. We have them at our website if you are interested in this.
I know people that disassemble the pipe and pass a small drill bit through the tenon to enlarge the size of the hole. However, if the draw is good and you can get a bristle brush (instead of bristle pipe cleaner) through it, I wouldn't worry about it.
I would say that there is no danger in unscrewing the STEM end of a fitting if is isn't glued in palce (as they often are). The plastic of the stem is much more durable than the threads of the meerschaum shank.


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## chu2 (Jun 8, 2009)

IKMeerschaum said:


> Is the looseness between the threads in the shank and the mortise or is the tenon loose in the mortise? The former can be repaired IF YOU ARE REALLY CAREFUL by stretching some plumbers tape around the mortise threads (to thin it out) and screw it CAREFULLY into the shank. If the latter your best bet is to buy a replacement mortise and tenon. We have them at our website if you are interested in this.
> I know people that disassemble the pipe and pass a small drill bit through the tenon to enlarge the size of the hole. However, if the draw is good and you can get a bristle brush (instead of bristle pipe cleaner) through it, I wouldn't worry about it.
> I would say that there is no danger in unscrewing the STEM end of a fitting if is isn't glued in palce (as they often are). The plastic of the stem is much more durable than the threads of the meerschaum shank.


Awesome, thanks for this info! I may just end up buying a new mortise and tennon-that's exactly the type of problem that's developing, but so far, it's stable enough to be smokeable. I'll keep the rest of the advice in mind as I give it a go-over tonight. The only time I've ever unscrewed the shank-end connector was by accident the first day I got it, since I wasn't aware of the "no left turn" rule: I gently screwed it back in, and I think it's okay. Hopefully it doesn't happen again.


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## IKMeerschaum (Feb 8, 2007)

chu2 said:


> the "no left turn" rule


Does that make pipe smoking "the anti-NASCAR"?


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## chu2 (Jun 8, 2009)

IKMeerschaum said:


> Does that make pipe smoking "the anti-NASCAR"?


I guess so! Haha I always thought pipe smoking was a little more "gentlemanly" than NASCAR, no offense.


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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

I have one meerschaum, so my experience is limited, but it is a wonderful smoker, and very pleasinig to the eye, especially now that is taking on some color. It is starting to turn a lovely light tan.

I bought this one on EBay for $7.00 + shipping from the guy that made it in Turkey. All told, it cost me $25.00 total.

I can't post a picture because I only have 16 posts. I don't understand what the number of posts has to do with anything, but...oh, welll....

I have a Calabash with a Meerschaum bowl, as well. The bowl never colored, but it is a great smoker.

I think what you have to watch for on a meerschaum is to see that it is properly coated with wax, and try not to touch the meerschaum part with your hands unless they are clean, and the pipe is cool. If you disturb the wax, it won't color right.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Gigmaster said:


> I have one meerschaum, so my experience is limited, but it is a wonderful smoker, and very pleasinig to the eye, especially now that is taking on some color. It is starting to turn a lovely light tan.
> 
> I bought this one on EBay for $7.00 + shipping from the guy that made it in Turkey. All told, it cost me $25.00 total.
> 
> ...


Wax can be reapplied, and it should be... and it is, on my pipes. Regularly.

Chances are good that the meerschaum on your calabash is pressed instead of block, which is why it isn't coloring. I think I'd be hard pressed to tell the diff in smoking, though. Glad to hear you have a nice meer! I smoke meers about 85-90% of the time these days, and the clarity of the smoke in a clean meer is the reason. Just make sure you're anal about cleaning out the shank. Meers have a lower tolerance for dirt than briars and tend to go sour much quicker.

Enjoy!


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## IKMeerschaum (Feb 8, 2007)

dmkerr said:


> Just make sure you're anal about cleaning out the shank. Meers have a lower tolerance for dirt than briars and tend to go sour much quicker.


Great advice!


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